Seat Belt Usage in Sweden and Its Injury Reducing Effect

Based upon official Swedish investigations and studies carried out by the Volvo Car Corporation, this report gives a short review of seat belt use in Sweden before and after the introduction of the mandatory seat belt wearing law, various factors influencing belt use, injury reducing effects of belt use (with respect to severity, injured body region, front seat versus rear seat, children versus adults, etc), and the injury-reducing effects of the Swedish belt wearing law, introduced in 1975. Briefly, belt wearing is very effective in reducing injuries, concerning both adults and children, and the effects of the Swedish mandatory belt wearing law are very positive.